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Travelling home from Norfolk to Ayrshire tomorrow and would like somewhere for the kids to run about for a bit. We stopped at Scotch corner last time and it wasn't ideal. Anywhere in the area where the kids could stretch their legs?
A66 not well known for kiddy activities (aside from Centerparcs). Kirkby Stephen is nice for a stroll, bag of chips and feed the ducks down by the river.
If it's sunny and the wind is coming from the north, I'd personally go up to Windmore End above Brough and have a picnic on the grass, play on the rocks.
You could stop at God's Bridge near Bowes and have a wander around. Can be a bit bleak around there though!
The llama karma cafe on the A66 just before Penrith has a petting zoo with some unusual animals, llamas, giant rabbits etc.
Decent food too. Sadly no giant rabbit burgers though
How about Mainsgill farm shop. Room for the kids to run around and see the animals. About 5 minutes up the road from Scotch Corner.
Website here
I can recommend Platform 3 Play in in Kirkby Stephen, but it depends how old your kids are… we have 3 and 6 and stop there on every trip across to the lakes.
Brough castle? Park, tea room and ice cream parlour there as well. Was about 8 years ago that I went though...
If it's open, New Moor Farm near Darlington is worth a visit - especially good in summer because the ice cream is excellent, the food is quite good, there's shaded outdoor seating and there's an outdoor play area.
+1 for mainsgill- nice cafe, lots of outside space with play stuff, you can walk round the farm and see the animals and the shop is lovely.
Mainsgill by a long shot (I live about 3 miles away from it). Decent playground and grub and a 100 yard detour off the a66
I was just about to suggest Mainsgill, but I see the other locals have beaten me to it 🙂
Hexham - then Hadrian's Wall would be my choices of places to go for a batter about.
Wee Hurrie in Troon for the fish/scampi when you get here...
If its not raining, then brough castle is a good shout. Tea room for food, a good play area & the castle ruins to run around & burn off some energy. And its right next to the A66.
A little further South in Bedale is this place which has a small soft play centre which we sometimes stop at https://www.bigsheeplittlecow.co.uk
Alternatively if you can push on to Gateshead this place is just off the A1. https://www.thegiantsden.co.uk/home.html Then pop over to the M6 via the A69 and call in here
https://www.walbyfarmpark.co.uk or one of the many places to visit on the wall like The Sill visitor centre.
There's a Bird of Prey centre near Thirsk which is good, but you'd want more than an hour.
55mph. You’ll get there faster.
Cheers all, plenty to bookmark. We stopped at Mainsgill which was ideal. Cracking cakes and the kids had plenty room to run about.
Glad you enjoyed it👍🏾
I used to tell the kids the first one to talk was the loser, and egg them on to make each other talk (no touching or poking).
Worked on long journeys, especially when they knew the secret was to keep eyes closed so they couldn't see the faces their brother/sister was pulling. Zzzzzz.....
Personally I'd go to CRosslanes on the A66 west bound. Great really local organic food, play area, animals and good coffee. They also have a shop with a good selection of bottle beers that I can never leave the place without buying.
I can recommend the breakfast pizza.
Easby Abbey just off the A1 on the Richmond Road is good for a run around if the weather is fit (Its not a manned site so its free). Or Middleham Castle